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Wheelabrator Wheel Blast Machine ‘Steels’ the Show After 27,000 Hours

20 March 2008

A thirteen-year-old wheel blast machine with more than 27,000 blast hours on the clock is still proving its metal at a customer’s steel plant in Scunthorpe.

The eight-wheel roller conveyer blast machine (with pre-heat, paint equipment and drying oven) from market leading surface preparation experts Wheelabrator Group was originally installed back in 1995, when John Major was Prime Minister. The blast machine still looks and performs like new thanks to regular servicing by the company’s after market support division, Wheelabrator Plus, which ensures the machine’s consistent operating efficiency, high quality finish and its continued ability to meet and exceed the customer’s production targets.

 

Used to shot blast steel plates, mainly destined for shipbuilding, the machine is situated in the customer’s structural workshop and plays a key part in preparing the material for painting. It is estimated that the machine has processed in the region of 468,000 plates weighing 910,000 tonnes since it was installed, including 36,000 plates weighing 70,000 tonnes in the last year alone.

 

Ray Parsons General Service Manager, Wheelabrator Plus UK at Wheelabrator Group, said: “ Without a regular weekly service ‘down day’, it is very unusual for a wheel blast machine to be going strong after this length of time. Usually a lack of maintenance means their naturally self-destructive process leads to inefficiencies, poor performance and major problems occurring prematurely.

“A robust service regime over the past 13 years has avoided this and limited our customer’s down time. We were happy to work closely with the customer to develop a service plan which would ensure the machine remains at its optimum performance levels at times which were convenient.”

 

The customer runs a 20-shift per week work pattern with Wheelabrator Group carrying out routine checks on the 21st shift to identify worn parts and inspect critical items.

 

Mr Parsons said: “We visit each week using the same team of engineers to provide the customer with a consistent level of service and so we understand any problems that may have occurred between other service days.

 

“This is a prime example of what can be achieved by working with the customer and establishing a programme of regular machine servicing. We’re delighted to be helping keep the machinery operating at its optimum production efficiency, ensuring the customer continues to reach its output targets with minimal downtime at an achievable cost without compromising product quality. All these benefits can be passed on to the customers’ customer with a better product, delivered on time.”

 

Wheelabrator Group is the world-leading manufacturer of surface preparation and finishing equipment. It owns, designs, manufactures and provides wheelblast, airblast and vibratory mass finishing equipment for surface preparation and cleaning, and serves a variety of sectors, including the aerospace and automotive industries. Further information can be found at http://www.wheelabratorgroup.com

 

 

 

                                                                  

Wheelabrator Plus is the aftermarket division of Wheelabrator  Group and offers an extensive range of equipment support services, including training, maintenance, service, parts, consumables, polyurethane fixtures and masking, plus media supplies for blasting, vibratory finishing and washing.

 

For product enquiries or to arrange a visit to Wheelabrator Group’s Surface Technology Centre, please contact: Brian Rodgers, sales manager, Wheelabrator Group, on 0161 928 6388 or uk-info@wheelabratorgroup.co.uk.

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